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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22897957">Amanita</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinthegoldenpines/pseuds/lostinthegoldenpines'>lostinthegoldenpines</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoption, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, OC, Original Character - Freeform, Snufmin Baby - Freeform, snufmin, spring dove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:13:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,093</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22897957</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinthegoldenpines/pseuds/lostinthegoldenpines</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A fierce little moomintroll baby decides to adopt Snufkin and Moomin as her family</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mumintrollet | Moomintroll/Snusmumriken | Snufkin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>122</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had rained the night before, little puddles pooling in the soft mossy dirt. Some were tiny while others seemed like a massive ocean to the smaller creatures of the forest. A tiny nose peeked out from the mouth of a spacious cave. Ears twitching, the tiny moomin wagged her tail once, then twice before venturing out with the large grass basket she had woven herself. The smell of wet earth and moss tingled her nose, her little paws squelching in the mud while she hurried along to her favorite gathering spots—it was on the side of a mountain tucked between alpines, oaks, elms, birches and a few random fruit trees. With her tiny legs, it took her longer to get there than it would perhaps an adult, however, she was determined. By the time the sun and risen in the sky, the pale gray dawn bled into a robin egg blue speckled with cotton candy clouds. Birds chirped cheerfully and the tiny troll tried to whistle along. Her loose teeth made it sound shriller, off-key. Switching to humming, she pushed her way through long grasses, shivering when dew dripped down her shaggy fur. She remembered mamma used to comb it, perhaps she could find a comb or steal one from a traveler.</p>
<p>      Arriving on her spot, the tiny moomin took a deep breath, happiness overflowing her heart. Skipping to the giant hollow tree, she easily entered the hole, dragging out the black cauldron. She picked at some stuck-on food bits she had missed in cleaning last night. With a stretch, she wiggled her fingers excitedly and fetched her basket. The mushrooms were growing delightfully so, they were her favorite food. Excitedly she picked boletes, brittlegills, and chanterelles. She even found milksops, certainly to be stored with salt and vinegar for later. Did she have vinegar anymore? The tiny child paused for a moment, feeling suddenly quite exhausted. Surviving was very, very hard. Her shoulders slumped forward for a moment. Taking a deep breath with her tiny lungs she plowed forward and continued to pick her next tasks. With tiny sharp claws, she dug down to unearth a few potatoes and turnips. She picked dandelions; the leaves tasted very bitter but her mamma told her they would make her healthy and strong. Finally, she picked her favorite and final ingredient—amanita muscaria. It was toxic, but her mamma had taught her how to fix that. It was going to be a tasty soup—however, if she had fish, it would be even better. But she was terrible at fishing, and she was too hungry to wait for the fish to come to her baited hook. With a grumbling tummy, she began to fill the cauldron up with several trips back and forth to the nearby stream, a tiny cracked mug in her paws.</p>
<p>      So busy and intent on getting her campsite ready, she did not hear soft footsteps approaching from behind, the shifting of backpacks, a harmonica being placed back in a pocket.</p>
<p>        “Hello littol one, lovely day isn’t it?”</p>
<p>The tiny troll gasped, her long shaggy fur standing up on end. She leapt in the air, mug dropping on the ground, water soaking into the ground. Spinning around she looked up to see a snufkin in a long tattered green smock, a green hat with red feathers wrapped into a blue and yellow flower crown. He had a yellow scarf wrapped around his neck, a fishing pole in hand. Behind him stood a tall, round moomintroll—much like herself—however, he was well-groomed, short fur and very, very clean. The tiny troll backed up, tail and fur bristling up, trying to poof herself up to be bigger.</p>
<p>        “Leave me alone!” she squeaked, hoping it sounded threatening.</p>
<p>         “Oh honey, we don’t mean you any harm—” the bigger troll started, leaning forward. Scared, she sped forward, sinking her teeth into the troll’s right knee cap. He tasted like fur and lavender soap.</p>
<p>          “OWW!” he howled, shaking his leg around.</p>
<p>Just as she bit hard, she felt a small paw grab the back of her neck, scruffing her neck gently but firmly. Another paw pinched her nose and she let go. Wailing, the bigger male grabbed his knee while the snufkin sighed loudly, placing her down on the ground.</p>
<p>         “Now was that necessary?” He asked her, keeping his paws away from her snarling mouth.</p>
<p>        “Stay away from my soup!” she snarled back.  </p>
<p>        “She’s utterly savage, totally feral, Snufkin! Two of her teeth are stuck in my knee!”</p>
<p>With a sigh, Snufkin turned to his partner, taking off his backpack and shuffling in it for a first aid kit. He turned his back to the little troll.</p>
<p>       “Hold still, Moomin, I’ll have it cleaned up in no time.”</p>
<p>       “It’s bleeding, her bite is nastier then Little My’s!”</p>
<p>        “A terrifying talent,” Snufkin chuckled. “Hold still, I’m pulling out the teeth now.”</p>
<p>The tiny troll was hiding behind her cauldron, watching. Snufkin sprayed the bite with antiseptic medicinal herbs, much to the whining distaste of Moomin. Soothing salve was rubbed on and then it was bandaged up. Snufkin finished it off with a kiss on the nose.</p>
<p>       “Feeling better?”</p>
<p>       “A bit,” Moomin muttered, ears flushed pink.</p>
<p>Both adults turned towards the little troll again. She hissed at them again. They looked at each other with a glance, Moomin scowling while Snufkin smiled.</p>
<p>      “Would you like some fish with your stew?”</p>
<p>      “Soup,” she corrected “what do you want for the fish?”</p>
<p>       “An apology for the bite,” Moomin snapped before taking a deep breath. “I’d take that as fair payment,”</p>
<p>       “Hmm,” the tiny troll pondered this trade for a moment or two before agreeing with a nod of her head. “I apologize, Mr. Troll.”</p>
<p>       “Well, that is that,” Snufkin clapped his paws together. “Moomin, would you mind cutting up the fish while I set up the campsite?”</p>
<p>Moomin made a face but nodded, reaching for a bucket filled with ice to his left. Once that was near him, he began to pull out a cutting board and fillet knife from his backpack. She watched as he carefully descaled the fish with the back of the knife. She leaned in to get a better look.</p>
<p>        “This can kinda get messy and a bit gross if I’m honest,” Moomin shrugged sheepishly. “I sometimes want to throw up you know, no shame if it makes you sick too,”</p>
<p>         “Gotta learn to survive,” she whispered, watching like a hawk. “Gotta learn.”</p>
<p>Snufkin and Moomin glanced up at each other.</p>
<p>          “Has your Pappa tried to show you before?”</p>
<p>          “Never had a Pappa,” she shrugged.</p>
<p>          “What about your Mamma?”</p>
<p>          “She died a while ago,” the little on sighed, suddenly feeling quite melancholy. “You can use the veggies for the soup or stew or whatever you want. I’m going to pick some berries.” She then tottered off, grabbing the mug on the ground, wandering off into the bushes.</p>
<p>    They waited until she vanished before looking at each other. Snufkin blinked a few times while Moomin wiggled his ears. Snufkin sucked in his lips and glanced around the camp before shrugging. Moomin slapped his tail down on the ground irritably before giving a loud sigh and looking pointedly at Snufkin. Snufkin broke first.</p>
<p>       “Well, only for a little bit, we’ll see what she wants ultimately,”</p>
<p>       “She can’t bite me and she needs a bath. And a good trimming,”</p>
<p>       “She’ll bite you if you do that,”</p>
<p>       “That’s why you’re doing it,” Moomin said firmly.</p>
<p>       “I think it’s quite adorably funny that you honestly think that’s happening,”  Snufkin chuckled.</p>
<p>       When the tiny moomin returned, covered in dirt, leaves, and thorns, the tiny mug filled with cloudberries and blueberries. The delicate smell of smoked fish and soup wafted in the air, making her stomach grumble loudly. She put a paw over her belly, embarrassed. Snufkin and Moomin smiled at her, as if they hadn’t heard, and presented her with a large bowl of soup, a plate for the fish and some bread they had handy on them. She tucked into the meal ravenously, her tail wagging the entire time.</p>
<p>          “I don’t think we ever fully introduced ourselves. I’m Snufkin, and this is my husband Moomin.”</p>
<p>          “Why are you named after your species?” came the pause in eating before she tore into the loaf of bread. She was delighted to find out that it was actually a sandwich with cheese and cucumbers.</p>
<p>          “That’s the way it is sometimes with certain parents naming their children. A tradition in a way, I guess so that one remembers their nature. What about you? Surely you’re named Moominmaiden?” Moomin asked while serving Snufkin his portion of soup.</p>
<p>          “No, my name is Amanita,” she replied, mouth full. “Amanita Muscaria. I kept picking the mushrooms, so mamma named me that, then finally told me how to boil them properly and eat them without getting poisoned. I think she died shortly after that.”</p>
<p>It was a bit quiet after that, they all eat their meals in silence. It was a lovely peaceful quiet, very similar yet unfamiliar to her quiet time with mamma. Mamma hadn’t been very quiet, she was always coughing, groaning in pain, or throwing up. But when mamma had been feeling better, well, those days were very nice. These two talked a lot, but it was a nice sort of talking. The kind that made one feel safe and warm; even laugh, Kicking her foot paws together, Amanita began to consider just how lonely and tired she was.</p>
<p>         “Right,” She stood up, clapping her paws together. The two turned to her quizzically, Snufkin peeling an apple while Moomin was pulling out a bar of soap and a dish scrub brush. “I think I’ll move in with you two for a bit. Learn how to fish and cook more than just soup. I like sandwiches a lot.” She grabbed the soap and scrub brush from Moomin’s grasp. “I also owe you for biting your leg.”</p>
<p>        “Alright, if that’s what you’d like to do. I think we have a spare bedroom we could set you up in,” Moomin pretended to be thoughtful about the situation, relieved he didn’t have to argue with the tiny, fierce creature.</p>
<p>        “Or a tent!” Snufkin said hopefully.</p>
<p>         “Tents are useless if there’s a decent cave around, which there almost always is.” Amanita marched off to the creek, dragging the cauldron behind her. Snufkin looked shocked while Moomin struggled to contain his laughter.</p>
<p>Amanita would always look back fondly on that day when she adopted her parents.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Amanita Meets Moominmamma and befriends Little My</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Moomin is ready to rage quit, so he takes his daughter to see his mother, not realizing how Emotional this might become</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So this is more from an exhausted Moomin and Snufkin's point of view, but I hope you all enjoy it just the same!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was raining heavily outside. A sort of chilling rain that reminds one of early spring or late, late fall and has no business so close to summer. Where dewdrops froze to moss and grass blades, shimmering like tiny ovals of glass, and the air nipped at one’s nose and ear tips. Snufkin could see his breath as he leaned over to grab one more piece of wood for the fireplace inside. The stew Moomin was cooking was just about ready and Little My had insisted she could bake a pie. Amanita had been grumpy about Little My coming over, but she’d get over it. Snufkin supposed that’s what it was like when two peas of a pod were alpha females like his adopted daughter and his half-sister. But surely they’d get along, even Little My couldn’t bully one so small as Amanita.</p>
<p>   After rushing back to the porch, he stamped the mud off of his boots and shook the rain from his hat. Snufkin took in a deep breath. Life seemed perfect.</p>
<p>          “HOW DARE YOU, YOU MAGGOT?? I’LL BOIL YOU ALIVE!” Little My hollered, the sound of glass shattering against the floor. Moomin was shouting while there was thudding and loud banging.</p>
<p>Flinging the firewood over his shoulder, Snufkin barged into the door, nearly stepping on Little My and Amanita as they rolled across the floor biting and kicking at each other. Little My’s hair had been pulled loose and was waving around like an angry flame while Amanita’s fur was fully poofed out. Both were covered head to toe in the stew. Before he could intervene, they rolled outside and into a large mud puddle. As they screamed and spat at each other, Moomin lumbered out of the doorway, good and angry, long rope in paw. Storming over to the two struggling, he yanked Amanita up by her tail and began to tie down her until she couldn’t kick or claw at him anymore. With the extra rope, he fashioned her around his large stomach like the oddest belt ever seen before in the Valley.</p>
<p>           “I don’t know why I expected better of you,” Moomin turned to glare at Little My. “She’s frightened and scared and you provoke her? Really now. Ah—no,” he shook his finger when Little My opened her mouth “I don’t care how many teeth you had to dig out of your arm. You deserved it. I’m taking this little beast to see Moominmamma if anyone cares to join me.” With a nod and angry flick of his tail, Moomin stormed off into the rain.</p>
<p>    Knowing when he was being demanded, Snufkin vanished into the house to douse the fire. When he came back, Little My had vanished. It didn’t take long for Snufkin to catch up to Moomin, though Moomin was walking remarkably fast for someone how had a vicious child tied to him.</p>
<p>            “That’s an interesting way to carry her,” Snufkin commented as he caught up, offering an umbrella to his husband. Before Moomin could respond, the angry wet ball of fur tied to him began shouting a variety of curse words that made Snufkin stumble and drop the umbrella. Digging in the wet dirt he reclaimed it and scurried to catch up. Moonin was walking much faster now.</p>
<p>           “Taking me to the orphanage? Ha! That’s fine! I’ll escape again, just like I always do!” Amanita howled before she began to bite at the ropes.</p>
<p>           “Oh, calm down you savage thing you,” Moomin paused in his walking, sighing and patting her on the wet head. Moomin and Snufkin exchanged a look before the umbrella was opened, shielding all three of them. “We’re never taking you to a place like that. We’re going to see my mamma. Perhaps she can talk some sense into you.”</p>
<p>          “And teach you to be a better Papa.” Amanita sniffed.</p>
<p>A murderous look passed over Moomin’s face and he clenched his jaw.</p>
<p>         “I can easily drag you through the mud there, you know.”</p>
<p>         “See! A terrible Papa! My mother never would’ve done that!”</p>
<p>         “And what would your mother have done?” Snufkin interrupted as they continued through the wet forest, thankful they would be nearing his in-laws soon.</p>
<p>         “I don’t remember!” Snarled the tiny creature, wriggling against her ropes. “She’d never have invited someone who made fun of me for dinner!”</p>
<p>         “Fair point,” both Moomin and Snufkin sighed as they walked out of the forest. Over the next hill would be the road leading down to Moominhouse.</p>
<p>By the time they arrived at the blessed door, even Snufkin was considering letting out a curse word or two—and he couldn’t abide cursing at all. Muddy, exhausted, and ready to either throw the kid into the overflowing creek or burst into tears, both trolls pounded on the door. Amanita hadn’t’ stopped yelling or threatening either of them, and they were quite some colorful threats.</p>
<p>The red door opened slowly, Moominpappa sticking his head out the door.</p>
<p>           “Oh my, I almost didn’t recognize you two, come on in—” Moominpappa’s smile faded as he saw the little figure struggling against Moomin, and heard the scandalous sentences she was threatening. “Oh my, oh dear. Is this Amanita?”</p>
<p>The tiny babe froze and looked up long enough to glare at Moominpappa.</p>
<p>         “Tall hat, that’s very odd mister,” she croaked out, voice straining from the shouting.</p>
<p>           “I see. Moominmamma dear, I do believe the boys need your help.” Pappa turned and called, opening the door wider.</p>
<p>           “Oh? Whatever is the matter dear?” Moominmamma came out, drying her hands on her apron, her little clutch bag resting neatly under her arm.</p>
<p>Both Snufkin and Moomin sagged in relief at the sight of her. Clearly, everything would be so much better now.</p>
<p>    However, Amanita tipped back her tiny head and began to wail piteously, big tears rolling down her muddy face.</p>
<p>          “Oh my goodness, you poor dear!” Moominmamma rushed forward, carefully swiping with her claws, neatly slicing the rope through. Amanita tumbled out and clung her soggy body to Moominmamma, the sobbing growing in energy. Without a word to either of the three men, Moominmamma turned on her heels and went back inside, rocking the tiny troll in her arms.</p>
<p>         “Well then, let’s see what we can do for you two, eh?” Moominpappa turned towards the drenched, muddy fathers.</p>
<p>Moominpappa set up a wash bin in the back of the kitchen near the warm stove and set on a kettle of tea for them. Snufkin helped to scrub stew and mud out of Moomin’s fur while Pappa prepared hot water for Snufkin’s bath. Thankfully, the murmrik was easier and quicker to clean off as he was not covered in some sort of stew, though his clothes needed washing and drying. Pappa found their guest pajamas and had the two sitting in front of the roaring fire with hot mugs of tea and warm clothes in no time.</p>
<p>         “Phew! I hadn’t worked this hard in a long time. I’ve gotten soft in my old age.” Pappa chewed the end of his pipe thoughtfully. “I was excited to meet the tiny one, but I must admit, not quite like this.”</p>
<p>        “Agreed. We had hoped when she was more used to both of us, we could introduce in a calm, controlled setting, but Little My popped over and—”</p>
<p>        “Say no more, I can get the picture.” Pappa chuckled. “Well, she’s in good paws now. I haven’t heard a peep coming from upstairs since Mamma took her up there.</p>
<p>Both Snufkin and Moomin sat up quite suddenly, throwing concerned glances up the stairs.</p>
<p>        “Is Mamma alright do you think? Amanita hasn’t harmed her?” Moomin gnawed at the bottom of his lip.</p>
<p>        “What? Of course not!” Moominpappa huffed. “Didn’t you say her mother has been dead for a long time? She probably missed having a mama moomin around.”</p>
<p>         “Oh. I suppose that makes sense,” Snufkin muttered, learning back down in the chair, sinking into the cushions. “It’s been a wild past few days. She criticizes everything we do, has opinions on the meals we cook and runs off in the middle of the night. I wish she’d pick if she wants to be here or be in the woods. I can’t take the worry much longer.”</p>
<p>        “I didn’t know you were worried, you always seem so calm,” Moomin muttered, patting his husband’s paw.</p>
<p>        “I am a bundle of nerves and worries and I don’t like it at all.”  </p>
<p>        “That’s just what it means to be a parent,” Moominpappa chuckled, taking a small delicate white teacup with a peony painted on it and golden painted edges on the rim and all around the cup. He sipped at the tea thoughtfully. “Why, that’s how I felt most of the time Moomin was small.”</p>
<p>         “Truly?”</p>
<p>          “Oh, I was always terrified some terrible thing would happen. Well, perhaps not terrified, concerned is the better word. You were so tiny and inquisitive about everything.” Moominpappa coughed, going back to his pipe.</p>
<p>It was two hours before Moominmamma came back down the stairs. The two dads looked up anxiously at her, to mainly make sure she didn’t have any bite marks.</p>
<p>          “She’s out like a light right now, poor dear.” Moominmamma yawned, stretching out her back. “She took a bath and we trimmed her fur a bit more. She told me all about her mother and how we look alike, even the same eye color.”</p>
<p>Moomin and Snufkin shuffled their feet in shame. How could they have known? When they had explored the house, there had been no photographs, only drawings hung up, and in the bedroom, a web covered skeleton that they had laid to rest.</p>
<p>        “Did she try to bite you?” Moomin asked anxiously, playing with the tuft of his tail.</p>
<p>         “Oh goodness no, though we did have a talk about how it might be for the best to no longer bite people. Why, if she keeps losing her teeth in such rapid succession, she won’t be able to enjoy the mushroom pie I’m baking for her tomorrow.”</p>
<p>         “You’re the absolute best Moominmamma,” Pappa smiled proudly, kissing her on the paw. “You two had better stay here the night so Amanita can get a full night’s sleep.”</p>
<p>         “You don’t have to tell us twice,” Moomin gave an exhausted yawn, leaning back against the chair cushion. Snufkin was already snoring. Moomin just barely was awake for Mamma kissing him on the head and then he too was sound asleep.</p>
<p>When the two woke up the next morning, Amanita was curled up between the two of them, snoring peacefully. She had a yellow bow tied around her tail that looked like a butterfly.</p>
<p>        “There, that should keep her out of trouble,” Little My said, standing on the chair across from them. “All beasts should have bows in their tails, after all.”</p>
<p>         “Little My!”</p>
<p>         “I’m sorry I scolded you yesterday,”</p>
<p>          “Huh, don’t be, otherwise your lectures will never stick with this one.” She nodded towards Amanita, who was holding her tail in her paws. “I’ve got some respect for her. She eats poisonous mushrooms and she jammed her teeth in my arm over a territory dispute. I think she and I will get along just fine.” Little My tossed the dislodged teeth on the ground in front of them. “I promised her I’d find them and return them. She wants to make a necklace out of her pulled out teeth.”</p>
<p>         “When did you two talk?” Snufkin arched an eyebrow while Moomin gently was patting Amanita on the back.</p>
<p>          “Late, late last night.” Little My gave a nasty grin and then vanished from the room.</p>
<p>Snufkin and Moomin looked at each other, both a bit concerned.</p>
<p>The smell of fresh pancakes and hot coffee was wafting through the house when Amanita woke up. She gave a groggy stare to both Snufkin and Moomin, who put down the books they had been half-heartedly glancing at.</p>
<p>        “I’m so sorry I lost my temper with you last night and drug you through the rain to get here—”</p>
<p>       “How are you feeling—”</p>
<p>        “I like your bow tie!”</p>
<p>Amanita reached up to pat them both on the face. “I love you both,” she said sleepily, and then curled back up and went back to sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Amanita and Snufkin Camp in the South</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Snufkin takes Amanita along with him on his trip to the south and questions both of their sanity</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amanita couldn’t quite believe her tiny little eyes. Moominvalley had been very cold and chilly when she and Snufkin left for the winter. Yet the South was so warm! It was like living through a second spring. There many different types of flowers and trees she had never seen before. She recognized the different types of fungi she saw however and was happily picking some in a grass basket she had weaved just for the journey.</p><p>          “Make sure to pick not as poisonous ones for me, okay Amanita? I’m not quite to your level of immunity.” Snufkin called out from his fishing spot near the lake they were camping by for the next few days.</p><p>           “You’re better then Moomingranpappa or Pappa!” Amanita replied, picking her namesake very gingerly, her tail wagging, the bow that Moominmamma had made for her travels bouncing ever so slightly. It was very red with green and blue stitching trim. She was humming, very happy to be with her dad. She missed her pappa, of course, but it was fun to explore new lands and see new places. Plus, she had never really been able to hibernate as a baby, certainly not now. The very thought scared her. Too-ticky had mentioned something about trauma that needed to be worked out over time, but Amanita had tuned her out. She was too busy admiring Too-ticky’s pocket knife to be completely honest. Every girl should have a lovely sharp knife or ax, that’s how Amanita felt. Her pappa was a bit iffy on her having a blade but had promised he’d make her an exquisite wooden sword in the upcoming summer months, so she supposed that would have to do.</p><p>           “How goes the fishing Dad?”</p><p>           “Rather well actually. I’ve got some brown trout, eel, and surprisingly some vimbra. The perch aren’t biting though.”</p><p>          “That’s okay! The potato and carrot stew seems to be cooking well. Why didn’t we add onions?”</p><p>          “We might have a guest stopping by who doesn’t like onions,” Snufkin groaned as he stretched, sighing in relief at the pop in his back. “Probably not, but possible.”</p><p>          “Oh, is it Joxter?”</p><p>         “Aw phooey, who told you?” Snufkin pretended to pout but he was grinning too widely. He was very excited about catching an eel—Mymble had found an old family recipe for eel that he was eager to try out.</p><p>         “Moomingranpappa told me about Joxter in from his memoirs,” Amanita replied from a patch of grass she had become hidden in. The grass was very tall and a bright green with milky sap in the stems. She pretended she was foraging for food in a dense jungle. “He would read it to Moominmamma and me when we were baking or sewing. I would walk away when I got bored though. He didn’t really like that, but I’d bake him cookies and he’d get over it.”</p><p>Snufkin let out a sharp laugh as he began to clean the fish. “I think Moomin, Sniff, and myself did that quite a lot too.”</p><p>          “Were you as old as me?”</p><p>          “A bit older,”</p><p>          “That makes sense. I can’t quite imagine you small.”</p><p>          “We’re all young once, but as for being small, that varies from species to species.”</p><p>          “Dad you can’t get fill-ee-soft-ickle before dinner, I’m hungry and I don’t care.”</p><p>          “Philosophical,”</p><p>Amanita just snorted and trampled her way through the grass to get a good look at Snufkin. He was bent over the fire, preparing the fish. He paused as her tiny nose appeared followed by two beady eyes and twitching ears.</p><p>         “I’m sleeping in a cave tonight,” She then vanished into the grass.</p><p>         “My tent is the one luxury I allow myself and it’ll keep you from catching a cold. Remember the last time we slept in a cave? You caught a fever,”</p><p>         “Don’t remember so it didn’t happen,” called the tiny voice from the river bank. She was now digging around for rocks. “You keep other things too as luxuries! Like tobacco and coffee and the big pink shell Pappa gave you!”</p><p>        “Coffee is a necessity with you around my dear wee one.”</p><p>         “I feel the same way.”</p><p>Snufkin paused as he heard the splash of a big rock hitting the surface of the water. It slowly began to click with him as to why he had been going through beans more quickly this season and he whirled around quickly, placing his paws on his hips.</p><p>         “So you have been sneaking coffee from my mug you little scamp! Coffee isn’t good for you at this age, it’ll stunt your growth and make your heart all funny.”</p><p>         “I’M GOING TO STAY SMALL FOREVER AND EVER AND HAVE A SILLY HEART!” Amanita’s voice carried over the water, echoing loudly. “THEN I’LL SMOKE A PIPE AND BE GRUMPY LIKE DADDY!”</p><p>          “Daddy?” Snufkin sputtered. “We talked about this, it sounds ridiculous calling me daddy. It’s either dad or Snufkin or nothing at all, you got that?”</p><p>But Amanita was laughing and yelling as she ran up and down the pebbled beach, grabbing big rocks and tossing it out into the water or piling them up.</p><p>         “Kids, huh?”</p><p>         “What do you know?”</p><p>         “Far more than you think, daddy,” Joxter chuckled as he tipped his red hat at Snufkin, sitting down next to the simmering pot of stew. “Aah, eel. Trying out Mymble’s recipe? It’s really more about the sauce than anything.”</p><p>          “She befuddles me. One moment acts like she’s a tiny adult, the next she’s running and yelling like that.”</p><p>          “From the letters, it sounds like she needs to be a kid. Kids are supposed to yell and climb things they’re not supposed to and be sassy with their grumpy Pappas.”</p><p>         “I am not grumpy.”</p><p>         “Sure, Snufkin.” Joxter leaned over and booped Snufkin on the nose. “Want me to cut up the eel?”</p><p>         “Do you even know how?”</p><p>         “Son, where on earth do you think you got your fishing skills and abilities from?” Joxter sighed, expertly flipping the knife around before filleting the eel with sharp, precise movements. </p><p>By the time dinner was ready (and Amanita’s mushrooms cooked to perfection), Amanita had worn herself out from collecting and gathering rocks. With a tired yawn, she stumbled back into camp, startling slightly as she looked up to see a scruffy man in a red hat and piercing blue eyes handing her a plate of food. She blinked for a moment or two before accepting the meal, her tail tapping the ground once and then twice. She wiggled her ears up at Joxter. In response, he wiggled his nose.</p><p>         “You’re Joxter,” Amanita sat down near Snufkin, poking the eel meat with a fork gently. It smelled good but all new things had to be examined with caution.</p><p>         “You’re Amanita. I’m surprised you didn’t bite me.”</p><p>          “Pappa says that I need to leave some teeth in my mouth so I can chew food properly otherwise I’ll not have any of Moominmamma’s pastries. It’s unfair because they’re really good. I’m turning my lost teeth into a necklace though and I need lots more to finish it.”</p><p>        “Oh, I like her,” Joxter whispered to Snufkin. “Pappa? Like Moominpappa?”</p><p>        “No, that’s Moomingranpappa.”</p><p>Joxter slapped his knee and began giggling. “Oh my! I’m sure he doesn’t like that!”</p><p>       “He’s okay with it.”</p><p>       “Then I suppose this makes me your Grandfather, or perhaps GrandJoxter?”</p><p>       “I’ve already got one grandpa. What qualifies you?”</p><p>Snufkin spat out a mouthful of soup while Joxter began rolling in the grass, laughing hysterically.</p><p>Amanita wasn’t quite sure what was so funny, she was very serious, but she was growing a certain pride in making adults laugh so hard they cried, so, despite her pout, her tail thumped happily against the dirt.</p><p>         “Kid, you’re fantastic.”</p><p>         “Are you staying the night? In a tent?” Amanita eagerly watched Snufkin’s eyebrow twitch in frustration. This was her favorite joke between herself and Pappa.</p><p>         “I prefer apple trees actually, though perhaps not in a storm.”</p><p>         “I very much prefer caves. You don’t have to spend all that time unpacking and unrolling and pounding down stakes—”</p><p>       “Alright that’s enough out of you both otherwise I won’t play my mouth organ tonight,” Snufkin said coldly, the chill resembling that of a groke.</p><p>       “One day I’ll learn how to play the mouth organ so I can play music whenever I want and talk about whatever I want,” Amanita huffed, taking a big bite of a poisonous mushroom.</p><p>        “Wait you shouldn’t—oh that’s right. Oof, I’ll never get used to that.” Joxter chuckled.</p><p>        “Neither will I, I’m composing a tune called ‘The Girl Who Ate Too Many Mushrooms and Turned Into One’,” Snufkin glared over the mouth organ to Amanita.</p><p>She only slurped the soup loudly.</p><p>Joxter raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the sitting log.</p><p>Snufkin began the song quietly and gently, the song growing louder and fiercer. He let out parental frustrations into the tune but also the joys of walking across flower meadows with his new daughter, her immense wonder at nature and her knack for getting into every sort of imaginable trouble. Joxter bobbed his head to the tune, the heel of his right boot tapping against the ground. Amanita had finished her soup and drowsily wandered over to Snufkin’s side, curling up, sucking on a bit of stew on her thumb. When the song had come to its tremendous conclusion, Amanita was sleeping soundly, the crickets echoing rather loudly in the absence of the tune.</p><p>          “I think that’s my favorite one so far. What’s it truly called?”</p><p>          “Amanita,” Snufkin sighed, reaching down to gently pat her head as she snuggled closer up against his leg. In her sleep, she reached up and patted him on the leg, rolling over on to his hand.</p><p>         “M’guess sleep in the tent,” she muttered with a snort before curling back up and dozing off again, her song dancing along in her dreams.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Day with Amanita</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This came as a prompt from a prompt challenge I did; a kiss that surprises the receiver. It was super cute to write!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had certainly been a day. Surprisingly Amanita did not like to have her fur-trimmed or cleaned even the slightest, despite how terribly scruffy it had become, easily snarled and dirty. Snufkin and Moomin begged and pleaded with Moominmamma for help, and she agreed quite quickly. Giving Moomin baths when he was little had always been precious and fun for both of them, what with bark boats and rubber ducks and bubbles. Amanita was not having any of it. She glowered at Moominmamma fiercely as Mamma shampooed the scruffy creature, the water turning brown, and Mamma rather regretted volunteering to help. Not even the pink rose towels and matching washcloths that normally brought her a small amount of comfort could help her now.</p>
<p>      “I don’t like this,” the tiny troll stated for the umpteenth time.</p>
<p>      “I understand darling, but one needs to be clean. Even Snufkin cleans himself up.”</p>
<p>Amanita ignored the statement and threw her head back to let out a howl eerily similar to that of wolves. “My, what a good howl, it’s very realistic. Can you do any others?” Moominmamma sighed, trying to not show how the sudden noise frightened her. Imagine, the very sound of a wolf coming from your own bathtub! Next came a bobcat yowl, then a cry of a hawk. Mamma lifted her arms and began to scrub, but she caught Amanita’s glare and Mamma paused.</p>
<p>      “My dear, would you prefer to clean yourself?”</p>
<p>      “Yes.” the tiny troll shouted with vigor. “I’m a big girl!”</p>
<p>      “Alright. So long as you use soap, you may scrub and wash yourself clean. However, we still need to trim that fur. It could hold lice or parasites in it that would be nasty. It would certainly keep you from living in caves, I would imagine.” With that, Moominmamma exited the bathroom, closing the door behind her with the tiniest sigh. Such an independent creature! Independence was a wondrous thing, but she could see why Amanita gave her son and even Snufkin such a hard time. Cleaning dirty water and soap bubbles off her apron and paws, Moominmamma made her way to the kitchen.</p>
<p>       “What would cheer that little thing up?” Mamma hummed to herself. She had hated baths when she was that age too. One could be playing instead of bathing. Keeping that in mind, Mamma began to pick out baking ingredients. It would be tricky, but she would make cookies shaped like mushrooms and bats—caves would be impossible to make unless she was making a cake.</p>
<p>By the time Amanita had trailed down from the bathroom, her dusty brown fur now a glistening white, Mamma had placed the baking sheet in the oven, setting the timer.</p>
<p>       “You look lovely dear, thank you so much for cleaning up. I’ve put some treats in the oven, by the time we’re done with the trimming, it should be ready.”</p>
<p>       “I like being fluffy,” Amanita said a bit tensely, her tail twitching irritably.</p>
<p>       “Well, what if we trim the fluff back only just a bit then? So that you can see better and that cockleburs don’t snag your fur.” Mamma said thoughtfully, already pulling the scissors out of her handbag.</p>
<p>With a defeated sigh, Amanita sat on the appointed chair, her body tense as Mamma ran a comb through it, snipping at split ends ever so slightly.</p>
<p>      “What about being fluffy makes you so happy dear?” Mamma finally asked, the silence a bit uncomfortable for her.</p>
<p>      “My own mamma said it made me look like her husband before she died,” Amanita said in a bored sort of tone. “I think it meant a lot to her, so I get cranky when Pappa wants me to cut it.”</p>
<p>Mamma paused with her scissors and then put them away in the handbag.             “There! All done!”</p>
<p>      “Oh. Okay. How much longer with the cookies?”</p>
<p>      “Oh? How’d you know they were cookies?”</p>
<p>       “I think it’s the sugar you use, it smells better in cookies,” Amanita grinned.</p>
<p>Before Mamma quite knew what had come over her, she had whisked little Amanita up in her arms and was holding her close. Amanita didn’t struggle, more surprised than anything as Mamma peppered her tiny forehead with a few kisses and then a gentle nose rub. Then the tiny creature was set back down on the ground, blinking her golden eyes once or twice, rubbing her snout.</p>
<p>     “Are you okay, Mamma?”</p>
<p>     “Perfectly,” Moominmamma replied, the timer trilling. She let the heat of the oven dry her tears as she pulled out the cookies. “Ta-da!”</p>
<p>     “Mushrooms and bats! Hurray!” Amanita clapped her tiny paws together. “I can’t wait to eat them!”</p>
<p>       “They do look fun don’t they?” Mamma said, rather pleased with herself. Amanita patted her on the leg before jumping on the stool to help watch the cookies cool off.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Amanita and Little My At Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moon looked a bit silvery to Little My as she strolled through the forest, biting down on an apple she had snuck from Moominpappa’s writing food stash. A part of her wished that she had a tiny little pipe of her own to bite down on, maybe to puff out a cloud or two occasionally The apple had a lovely tartness to it, however, so she decided apples were better than pipes after all.</p><p>          “Hello? What’s this?”</p><p>Up ahead a tiny white figure scurried from bush to bush. A pink ribbon on the tail indicated who it belonged to and Little My decided to have a bit of fun, placing down the apple carefully. She stealthily snuck up behind the tiny Amanita, ready to give out the loudest shriek she could muster.</p><p>         “Don’t try to surprise me, you’ll frighten away the beetles,” Amanita sighed as if scolding a rambunctious child.</p><p>         “You’re no fun at all,” Little My snorted, frowning now that her joke was spoiled. She stomped over to retrieve her apple and took a big bite. “What are you doing out so late? Do your fathers know where you are? It’s rather late for one so small,”</p><p>        “They think I’m asleep, but when the moon is bright I can’t sleep.”</p><p>        “I’m surprised they didn’t notice you sneak out,”</p><p>        “They’re otherwise preoccupied,” Amanita tried to make a serious face that adults would make on the matter, but she started giggling instead as Little My gagged, throwing the half-eaten apple into the river.</p><p>        “Ugh, disgusting. So, you chase beetles at night?”</p><p>        “I also fish, climb trees, scare Sniff, dance with the Groke, pick mushrooms. Oh! Sometimes Dad will take me out to look at the stars or Mr. Hemulan shows me flowers that only bloom at night.”</p><p>       “Wait wait wait, go back, you dance with the Groke?”</p><p>       “Only sometimes. If I have a lamp or light with me. We do a dance and then I give her the light.” Amanita hummed, standing to do a swaying dance. She spun once and then twice, pretending to lift up the hem of a skirt. “But I don’t have a light with me tonight because of the moon. I suspect she’ll be more interested in the moon tonight anyway, which is fine with me.”</p><p>        “You’re quite the little moomin, do you know that? I’ve never heard of anyone seeking out a broke for dance sessions. She could very well just gobble you up.”</p><p>        “She tried the first time we met, but I’m too tough for her,” Amanita said proudly, taking a sweeping bow. “Wanna go spook Sniff?”</p><p>        “I knew you and I would make excellent friends in eat end. Have you made any progress on your tooth necklace?”</p><p>         “No, Pappa says I need to grow a few back first before I wiggle any looser.”</p><p>The two snuck their way to pester poor Sniff through the night. Meanwhile, far away in a lifeless meadow field covered in thick ice, a Groke did a little shuffle icy dance under the moonlight, paws reached up towards the sky. The Groke thought it would be nice to dance with tiny moomin child again soon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Amanita meets Mrs. Fillyjonk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amanita wagged her tail irritably, a big yellow bow just below the tuft of her tail and also two smaller ones wrapped around her ears. She looked up at the intimidating door and just wanted to rush off into the woods. Instead, she drew up every ounce of strength she could muster and rapped on the door. An older fillyjonk opened the door, some silver hairs mixing in with her orange ones. She squinted and looked about, not bothering to look down. She’d probably step on a creep and not even realize it. Amanita coughed, trying to look as pleasant as possible.</p><p>      “Oh my! What on earth is a child doing here? I’m not a fostering home, away with you.” Mrs. Fillyjonk shrilled, the cotton ball on the edge of her hat swaying as she tried to shoo Amanita away.</p><p>      “Pardon me madam, but Moominmamma will be a bit tardy for tea,” Amanita tried to curtsey and then remembered she didn’t have a skirt on. She pushed the wicker picnic basket towards Mrs. Fillyjonk. “Their house is on fire and they are quickly putting it out. In the meantime, Moominmamma sent me ahead to present you with cookies and pastries for tea, as promised.” Forgoing with curtseys, Amanita put out an elegant leg and bowed, much like how her Dad or Joxter had shown her. It was a little charming effect Joxter used to get himself out of situations, and for her Dad, well, it was a cute way to woo Pappa. He’d do an elegant sweep of his leg and take of his large green hat as well. However, Amanita had no such hat, so she felt the bow was less elegant, but surely it would be enough to impress the likes of a stiff-lipped woman such as Mrs. Fillyjonk.</p><p>      “Oh my, how awful! Are they all alright? To think, their odd little house catching fire—it’s not that surprising. How did it start?”</p><p>      “Moomingrandpappa was—”</p><p>      “Grandpappa? Are you—! Oh my, you must be little Amanita! How what a delicate and precious child you are!” Mrs. Fillyjonk whirled around, patting Amanita on her head. “Come in, come in quickly dear child, what a fright you must have had! I’ll make you a cup of tea for your nerves and then go to help straight away!”</p><p>Taking her by the paw, Mrs. Fillyjonk pulled Amanita along with the basket, placing the basket on the table and Amanita on a stiff wooden chair. She would have preferred the soft-looking couch, but she had a feeling she should keep quiet while the nervous woman rattled about with the teacups.</p><p>      “How many sugars would you like dear? Two should suffice I’d think,”</p><p>      “I don’t need sugar, it can spoil the tea,” Amanita had to think hard upon whatever table manners Moominmamma or her departed mother had tried to teach her “thank you very much, it was most appreciated.”</p><p>     “What a lovely child and I daresay a good thing you don’t fancy to sugar. Ruins the teeth. Here you are, I am off to check on the Moomins.”</p><p>     “Oh my dad’s are there, I believe they’ll help stop the fire,” Amanita accepted the tea, sniffing at it cautiously. “Oh! Earl Grey!” She blew on the surface before taking a careful sip. “Mm, it has lavender in it.”</p><p>     “My, what a sophisticated young girl you are, not even my children would have appreciated Earl Grey,”</p><p>Then why serve it to me? Amanita clamped down on the comment. It had been chaotic enough at the house, she didn’t want to make more chaos here.</p><p>     “Oh thank you, I’m not sophisticated, or delicate though. When my mamma was alive, she’d call me rambunctious and a little mud queen. But when we had tea, it was always Earl Grey. She smelled just like it.” Amanita took a deep breath, savoring the smell. “Just like this,” she felt the prick of tears at her eyes quite suddenly so she shook her head and took a deep breath. “Yeah, it’s pretty great.”</p><p>     “Oh yes, they found you—”</p><p>     “That’s one way the story has been interpreted, I’m sure, but one could also say I discovered them,” Amanita sniffed, putting on some Grandmoominpappa’s author airs, hoping it would get her kicked out of the house so she could just leave. “Because of me,  they’re both fathers now. A joy they might otherwise not have known.”</p><p>Amanita took a large sip of tea to keep from laughing out loud. Such a performance would have Little My and Snorkmaiden howling with laughter.</p><p>    “Who was your mother, dear?”</p><p>Amanita paused. Not even her fathers had asked for her mother’s name. She fidgeted a bit. It felt wrong to say. It would be like saying the name of a sacred deity in a garbage heap, but the trash heap was the orangish-pink furniture of Mrs. Fillyjonk’s house, along with the gaudy blue and white ceramic cups and striped pink wallpaper. To whisper her mother’s name needed to be somewhere sacred like a starry night sky or next to a mossy waterfall. Carefully putting the teacup on the assigned plate, Amanita pushed herself out of the seat and crawled down.</p><p>     “I’m not comfortable with saying, Mrs. Fillyjonk. I hope you enjoy the cookies and pastries from Moominmamma. Have a good day.</p><p>     “Young lady you need to stay here—”</p><p>     “I’m young but I’m not a lady. I bite people’s legs and am making a necklace out of my teeth. I have a pet toad and I eat poisonous mushrooms. I’m just the way my mamma raised me, and my two dads of course. Good day.”</p><p>With a swift nod of her head and a half bow, Amanita barreled her way towards the door, needing to escape. She had wanted to bite Mrs. Fillyjonk, but out of respect for Moominmamma’s somewhat friendship with the woman, she wouldn’t. She stumbled out the door into her Pappa’s large and strong arms.</p><p>     “Oh! Moomintroll, it’s you. You’re covered in soot and ash, please stay away from my house!” Mrs. Fillyjonk cried out. Amanita rubbed her face all over her pappa’s fur, getting the smokey smell and ash all over her face. “Is your family alright?”</p><p>     “Yes thankfully, though Moominmamma regrets she won’t be able to make it for tea today. We have to start on some repairs on the house.”</p><p>      “May I help Pappa?” Amanita perked up, her tail wagging.</p><p>      “I think all the willing paws will be needed today,” her dad grinned, his yellow scarf a bit singed. He took off his hat and plopped it on her tiny head. It completely engulfed her head and smelled like sweat and smoke and sunny dandelions. “Thank you for watching Amanita Mrs. Fillyjonk, have a good day,”</p><p>Before she could get a word in, Snufkin and Moomintroll sped away with Amanita.</p><p>     “How are you doing?” Snufkin asked worriedly, wiping some ash off her nose.</p><p>      “I’m okay, thank you for the rescue. How is Moominmamma and Grandmoominpappa?”</p><p>      “They’re both alright, though I think your grandfather is in big, big trouble for being so careless.” Snufkin chuckled. Moomintroll snorted and held Amanita close.</p><p>     “I’m just glad you’re safe. When we couldn’t find you, I was really worried.”</p><p>     “Sorry, Moominmamma sent me on ahead with the snacks.”</p><p>     “And with very tidy bowties on your tail and ears, I’m impressed and slightly appalled at the lack of concern she showed the fire. It was a big fire.”</p><p>     “Will the house be alright?”</p><p>     “Well, there’s going to be some construction so they’ll have to stay with us for a week or two I would imagine.” Snufkin contemplated.</p><p>     “Oh, how wonderful! Moominmamma and I will sit under the stars at night!” Amanita cheered. “Maybe even sleep in my tent!”</p><p>     “Your tent is a bit small for Moominmamma but I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” Moomintroll chuckled before sighing as the walked over the hill, looking down at the house. Smoke was rising, siding blackened and charred. “This is going to take a lot of work.</p><p>      “Well, perhaps you can look at it as a type of adventure like our daughter is,” Snufkin hummed, booping his husband on the nose as Amanita struggled out of Moomintroll’s grasp, running down towards her family.</p><p>It was going to be an exciting summer after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Moomintroll and Amanita stop Fighting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Moomintroll couldn’t help but feel his spouse chose the most opportune times to off for some solitary time. It wasn’t that he begrudged Snufkin the freedom of coming and going as the murmrik pleased; certainly not. But now that they had a young daughter of whom they were the parents of, Moomintroll would appreciate it if Snufkin didn’t go off for a few days of camping if it was a bit unpleasant in the house.</p><p>   Relenting with a knitted brow and a sigh, Moomintroll knew that of course, that wasn’t quite the case. Snufkin was giving them space for Moomintroll and Amanita to make up.</p><p>      The argument had started two weeks ago, and by the blessed tail, could that tiny moominchild keep a grudge and an argument going endlessly. Every waking moment was spent squabbling and snapping at each other. At this point, Moomintroll couldn’t even remember what the initial fight had been about. Wearily, he reflected that it might have been him telling her no to something she wanted to do; most likely going on her own adventure. Whatever it was, had struck a chord and they had been arguing over every single little thing. Two days ago Snufkin, fed up with the two trolls, left for a breather and hadn’t been back since. Not that he could be blamed, Moomintroll also wanted to pack up and leave for a bit. But, he was a Pappa now.</p><p>       “Amanita, come to the table for dinner, please.” He called shortly, trying to keep his frustration in check. He didn’t want to start dinner with a bad attitude. Little My said they needed to keep arguing to get it out of their systems, but he was pretty sure Moomins weren’t built like that. He just felt exhausted and wanted a ten-hour nap from all this confrontation.</p><p>     Amanita appeared in her chair with a booster seat, glaring at him from across the table as he set the soup and sandwiches on the table, a heavy sigh escaping as he sat down.</p><p>     “Did you wash your paws, Amanita?” He saw the look that passed over her face, and instantly regretted it.</p><p>     “I’m not stupid, of course, I did.” She snapped back, taking a massive spoonful, blowing away the steam. “I can take care of myself.”</p><p>      “Obviously as a father, I need to ask that question!” He snapped back before taking a deep breath, a paw running through the fur at the top of his head. “Look, it’s not that you’re incapable of taking care of yourself or that you forget to wash your paws, but for the fiftieth time, I do not want you wandering all over the countryside alone,” Moomintroll’s ears twitched in frustration. Had he been this hardheaded as a child? “We’re not discussing this anymore, and that is final.” He gave an abrupt nod of his head to emphasize his point, as his own Pappa had done to him. It was annoying, but Moomintroll had always given up at that point; no point in arguing with such a firm nod.</p><p>   Amanita did not feel the same way, crawling on top of the table and storming over until she stood in front of Moomintroll’s plate.</p><p>      “No! I’m not done discussing this! You treat me like a baby, and—” Amanita’s eyes grew wide as she knocked over the lit candlestick with her arm.</p><p>With reflexes faster than he could process, Moomintroll used his left arm to scoop Amanita close to him, his right paw grabbing for the candle, killing the flame with his palm. It bit at his skin and fur a little, but at least it had not caught the table or floor on fire.</p><p>     “Are you okay?” He gently asked. Amanita nodded silently, clutching tightly to his arm. “I need to put on a bandage, can I let go?”</p><p>      “No,” She muttered, crawling up his arm until she rested on his shoulders, holding on to the side of his head.</p><p>      “Okay, just hang on tight,” Moomintroll advised, carefully standing up, walking to the living room. On the top shelf of the bookshelf, he had crafted himself, sat the first aid kit. He pulled out a herbal balm for burns and dabbed it on before slapping on a bandaid wrap. Dinner postponed for a bit, he traveled outside, settling down in his rocking chair. Despite being empty, Snufkin’s chair rocked gently with the wind, as if encouraging Moomintroll on.</p><p>   Amanita crawled down into his lap, curling up. He patted her gently on the head.</p><p>     “I don’t like fighting with you,” he confessed. “I know I’m new to being a Pappa, and I”m sure that can feel frustrating. You’re a clever, clever troll. I just worry about your safety because I care about you. When you’re a bit bigger, you can go on as many adventures on your own as you want, like Pappa Snufkin. But for now, I’d like it if you and I shared a few adventures, or if you want to be on your own, just be a lot closer to home.”</p><p>      “Mmm. Okay.” Amanita sighed softly, gently holding his injured paw. “I don’t like fighting either, but I don’t like giving up.”</p><p>      “I know,”</p><p>       “But in honor of your burnt paw,” She carefully patted his wrist “I’ll listen just this once.” </p><p>They stayed like that for an awhile, the wind gently shifting the leaves on the trees, puffs of dandelion seeds dancing in the bright green meadow before them. Only when their stomachs began to gurgle did father and daughter agree to go in and eat dinner, finally at peace for the time being.</p>
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